Steve Hammons is the author of two novels about a U.S. Government and military joint-service research team investigating unusual phenomena. MISSION INTO LIGHT and the sequel LIGHT'S HAND introduce readers to the ten women and men of the "Joint Reconnaissance Study Group" and their exciting adventures exploring the unknown. Both novels are available from the Barnes & Noble Web site, bn.com, and other booksellers worldwide. visit Steve Hammon's website at jointreconstudygroup.blogspot.com/.

Some scientific views about our universe now include ideas about multiple dimensions in a "multiverse," bridges or portals between them, fields of "zero point energy" and other fascinating concepts.

How do these newer ideas about ways the universe might be structured and operate compare to more traditional concepts about an afterlife such as "Heaven" or a dimension where we might reside before coming into this life?

What about unusual phenomena such as perceptions of angels, strange lights or UFOs? How do these ideas fit into the overall picture?

And then there is the topic of human consciousness which includes our thinking, creative imaginations, dream states, sensory perception, extrasensory perception (ESP) or "anomalous cognition," prayer and even ideas of links between our consciousness and our DNA.

What are the connections between these many pieces of the puzzle? Can we understand more about the nature of these and other elements around us and within us?

NATURAL REALITIES

In many philosophical and spiritual traditions, a human who has lived a basically good and decent life will go to Heaven or an afterlife of some kind. Some views include the idea of a very unpleasant afterlife for people who have not been a force for good.

Other concepts include ideas of a dimension that serves as a way-station for us as we live one life on Earth, move to another dimension, then begin life again either on Earth or somewhere else.

Some modern physics theories seem to validate the idea that there may be other dimensions that we do not always clearly perceive, but may not be so far away. They may be near, separated from us only by mysterious doorways of some kind.

For example, if we are living our everyday life and for some reason our biological life ends from injury, illness or old age, according to some views we may then promptly move through a tunnel of light to arrive in another dimension fairly quickly. If we come back, it is called a "near-death experience."

Other theories about UFOs, unusual beings and even angels propose that these phenomena involve the ability to slip in and out of our dimension and other dimensions through portals or "wormholes" of some kind.

Combining certain modern scientific views from many fields of study with traditional human beliefs, legends and folklore might help us get a more complete understanding of how the larger Nature is organized and how it operates.

MERGING AND EMERGING

Our beliefs, faith, perceptions, understanding and intelligence also seem to be part of the mix. Human consciousness apparently may have many aspects that we do not fully grasp or routinely use.

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